Why Adam Putnam declared ‘We’ve hit the big time’ in Riviera Beach

Agriculture Commissioner and Republican governor candidate Adam Putnam speaks to about 60 people at a breakfast in Riviera Beach on his 22-city bus tour.

RIVIERA BEACH — Not an incumbent but not an outsider, Agriculture Commissioner and Republican gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam told a breakfast gathering here this morning that Florida needs to stick with “conservative leadership” to expand its economy.

The youthful-looking Putnam added: “I’ve never seen myself with a mustache. It would take me a long time to grow that mustache.”

Republicans have controlled the governor’s mansion since 1999. Putnam, the agriculture commissioner since 2011, has been supportive of term-limited Gov. Rick Scott‘s focus on jobs, but he said the state needs to diversify its economy beyond agriculture, tourism and construction.

Putnam at the Riviera Beach Marina.

“Florida can bring jobs back to build things, create things, innovate things,” Putnam said. “When we take our eye off the ball for creating jobs, then everything else goes sideways. But when we focus as a state on making Florida a haven for free enterprise, low taxes, low regulation and the launch pad for the American dream so that people start their businesses here, grow their businesses here and find their piece of the American dream here, everything is possible in the Sunshine State.”

He added: “We’re always one election away from losing that conservative culture…Nothing is more important than the passion of grass roots to form and create a movement to protect the gains that we’ve made under conservative leadership in our state and take us to the next level.”

In an interview, Putnam said he disagreed with the Florida Legislature’s decision to eliminate money for Scott’s favorite Enterprise Florida business-incentive program and to slash funding for the Visit Florida program to promote tourism.

“I support having Enterprise Florida in a position to compete shamelessly, to grow more jobs inside the state and bring jobs from other places. And Visit Florida is another vital part of continuing the momentum of the strength of our tourism industry. We can’t get complacent and we can’t take it for granted,” Putnam said.

But Putnam said he would not veto the entire $83 billion budget — a possibility Scott dangled last week. Putnam recommended that Scott use a “big, bold line-item veto” on portions of the budget, but he called an overall veto a “blunt force that throws so many education and health care program into chaos.”

Putnam also made a brief stop at Howley’s in West Palm Beach before heading to scheduled appearances later today in Fort Lauderdale and Miami.

Agriculture Commissioner and GOP candidate for governor Adam Putnam talks to a breakfast customer at Howley’s in West Palm Beach.